the obama administration urged caution but stressed that the u.s. military will not recognize china's demand and stand by the ally japan. after china scrambled fighters to intercept nines through the zone, the u.s. urged airliners to comply with the new rules for safety sake. after vice president joe biden last week spent four hours with the china's foreign minister, he says they should exercise restraint. neither disclosed what the two discussed privately. china's move is provocative. a dramatic step to impose its will as a part of concerted drive to take territory it views as its own emboldened by the growing economic and military might and the conviction that the neighbors will back down, china is directly challenging washington's influence across asia. and beijing has already started deeper incursions in india and hassling vietnam. as the region's security guarantor, washington must push back against china with pressure of its own. failing to do so is the surest way to destabilize the region and achieve china's other aim, undermine america's rep